Volunteers from NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Va., recently visited Wor-Wic Community College to share the fun of science and engineering with children in the college’s Camp Jordan summer program for young children.
The NASA team helped children make soda bottle rockets, then used pressurized air to launch them.
Valerie Gsell, an engineer at Wallops, said, “Outreach is an important part of our job. We’ve been coming to Wor-Wic for 15 years. Our helping children make rockets here has led to us doing it all over the shore.”
Gsell said the project is a good way for children to learn aerodynamics – and helped demonstrate that as she explained to students why some rockets spun or went higher than others.
Casey Elliott, director of the child development center, said she appreciated the enrichment and experience NASA Wallops brought to the children. “It’s learning through exploration,” she said.
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- Valerie Gsell, an engineer at NASA Wallops Flight Facility, instructs Wor-Wic campers on how to make their soda bottle rocket.
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- Casey Elliott, right, director of the Wor-Wic Community College child development center, helps students make rockets.
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- NASA Wallops Flight Facility volunteers help children’s rockets take flight at Wor-Wic Community College.
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- A child at Wor-Wic Community College launches his rocket as a NASA Wallops Flight Facility volunteer assists.
